Page 33 of Fools in Love

When they were in his car heading back down to the docks, she asked, “So, where do you normally sail to?”

“Normally? Up and down the coast. I find someplace to anchor and fish for a few hours, then cook up what I’ve caught. If the weather is nice, I’ll take a dip, lie in the sun, then head home.”

“That sounds wonderful.” She sighed and leaned back in the seat.

“When was the last time you went sailing?” he asked her.

“Sailing? Never. I’ve been out on a lot of boats before, though. My dad is a Coast Guard trainer. But not sailing,” she clarified. “He and Nick both have fishing boats.”

“Yeah, I’ve been out on both of theirs. Actually, it’s the number one reason I chose a sailboat. I like taking things slow. Besides, if I want to go out for a week, I have my cabin with a queen-sized bed and supplies all ready.”

She was even more excited for the trip now, knowing a real bed was available.

Tom parked in front of his house. Since she’d met him, she’d driven by it a few times but had yet to go inside.

“The docks are half a block away. It’s easier to park here.” He got out to open her car door for her. “I have a cart of supplies all loaded up,” he said, opening his garage. There was a blue wheeled car with a cooler and a basket of other supplies in it. He set her bag on top and then shut the garage door. “Ready?”

She nodded and followed him the half block to the docks. He used a key code to get into the fenced area. She could see her parents’ boat and her brother’s boat, but followed Tom to a large white sailboat that sat at the end of the dock.

“Here she is. I haven’t officially named her yet, but the last guy who owned her named her Fool’s Run.” Tom chuckled. “I guess it sort of stuck. At least until I can come up with something else.”

“I like it,” she said as he helped her on board.

It was far bigger than her father’s or brother’s boats. The mast was twice the height of any other sailboat in dock.

The wide wood deck shone in the sunlight. There were large cabin doors that she assumed led below deck.

“Have a seat, I’ll just be a minute.” He motioned to a large wood bench. She sat down while he emptied the cart and took the cooler and box down below.

When he came back up, he held out a glass for her. “Mimosa?”

She took the drink and then took a sip. “It’s perfect.” She sat back. “Do you need any help?”

He shook his head. “No, I’ve got this. You sit back and relax.”

She felt guilty, sitting and enjoying herself while he did all the work. Then again, he had told her that he loved to sail. By the time the sailboat hit the open water, she was done with her mimosa.

“Want another?” Tom asked her as he sat down behind the wheel.

“No, that was perfect.” She leaned back to let the wind wash over her. “How did you learn how to do all that?” She motioned to the two large white sails above them.

“Your brother, father, and uncle. When I first moved here, the four of us would hit the water almost every weekend. I think they could tell I wasn’t in a good headspace back then. They and this”—he nodded to the view in front of them—“helped.”

She wanted to tell him that he’d helped her. Hitting the gym every day, having someone to talk to, someone who had gone through something far more terrible than she had, had really helped her put her life in perspective.

Knowing what he went through, she felt shallow and selfish.

She watched him close his eyes for a moment. When they opened again, they landed on her, and he could see that he’d overcome the dark moment.

“Have you given it some more thought? About staying?” he asked her.

She had. Actually, it was all she thought about. She knew that she’d probably have a better chance of dancing again in a big city. She’d most likely be a background dancer—and it would take months or even years of retraining her body, learning to trust her leg again—but she’d be dancing.

One thing was certain, she would never dance with a partner again. She hated to admit it, but she actually had nightmares about trusting someone like that again.

“I think I’ll stick around here for a while,” she admitted. “The thought of heading back to the city right now…” She shook her head. “Why did you choose to move to Pride?” she asked, wanting to move the spotlight off of her.

Chapter Eleven